Key Events
Prasutagus lived a long and wealthy life and ignoring Roman custom, hoped to preserve his line by making the Roman emperor merely, co-heir to his kingdom, along with his two daughters. As Roman law only allowed inheritance through male lines, upon his death, Prasutagus’s kingdom was annexed as if it had been conquered. As Prasutagus had lived an affluent life on borrowed Roman money, his subjects were liable for his debt. Lands and property were confiscated, nobles treated like slaves, Boudica was brutally humiliated and flogged and her daughters, raped. This was the critical catalyst to her leadership in revolt against the Romans. In 60 or 61 C.E., Roman governor, Paulinus was away in north Wales leading a campaign against the island of Anglesey, a refuge for British rebels and fortress of the druids. The Iceni used this as an opportunity to conspire with the Trinovantes in rebellion, with Boudica as their leader and history as their inspiration. Their own ancestors had driven Julius Caesar from Britain. They were successful in destroying the Roman colony of Colchester, a focus of resentment, where at the expense of local inhabitants, a temple to the former emperor Claudius had been erected. Next they burnt the 20yr. old thriving commercial center of London, to the ground, ruthlessly slaughtering anyone remaining in their path. St. Albans was third to be destroyed. In total, an estimated 70,000-80,000 people were killed. The magnitude of the devastation almost led Roman emperor Nero to consider withdrawal from the island. However, this was not the case as Suetonius regrouped with detachments and any available auxiliaries, calling upon almost ten thousand men. Still, he was extremely outnumbered by rebel forces numbering 230,000, as he took a stand from a narrow passage with a wood behind. Boudica, with her daughters beside her, rallied her troops from her chariot. Nonetheless inflexibility combined with lack of open field tactics to command the large number, put the rebels at a disadvantage. The Romans, on the other hand had superior equipment and discipline and were skilled at open combat. Even though she had what appeared to be a number advantage, the narrowness of the filed meant she could only bring forward as many troops as the Romans, at one time. First the Romans killed thousands with waves of javelins, then engaged a second wave of Britons in the open and finally advanced as a phalanx in wedge formation. In attempting to flee, the British were boxed in by their own families, who they had stationed in a ring surrounding the outskirts of the battlefield. The resulting disaster was 80,000 British dead, to only four hundred Romans. Some accounts say Boudica poisoned herself, others that she fell sick from shock and died. In keeping with the custom of cremation for Celtics, her remains have never been found. As well, the exact location of her defeat in battle, remains unidentified London legend places the battle site at Kings Cross with Boudica herself buried under one of the platforms at Kings Cross Station. Historians doubt that Suetonius would have returned to London, placing the site likely in the West Midlands. Others suggest a site close to High Cross in Leicestershire, near Watling Street. After this failed rebellion, Britain continued under Roman control for several centuries, thereafter. Section heading Write the first section of your article here. Remember to include links to other pages on the wiki. Section heading Write the second section of your article here. Don't forget to add a category, to help people find the article.